So, last week I called my local Time Warner Cable provider and set up an appointment to have new cable installed today, May 18, between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. At 1:38, the phone rang and it was, as expected, a TW operator making sure I was home. I replied, yes, I'm here. She said that the tech was still at his "first appointment", and that it would be a little bit before he got there, and I replied that that was fine, and that we'd be waiting. And now it's 3:38, and the tech's not shown up, nor have I received any call letting me know that the tech is running late. Full disclosure: The cars are getting detailed today, so our driveway is car-less. But no one has knocked on the door or rung the doorbell. And, as I said before, the phone hasn't rung since the TW operator called at 1:38.

So, can I expect this to be the typical kind of service I'll receive with Time Warner?

I have the opposite problem with our cable company - they show up early! I had an appointment between 1-5. I got home from work at 1230 and the truck was in my driveway! But we're with Metrocast, and I have no experience with TW.

So, can I expect this to be the typical kind of service I'll receive with Time Warner?

Yes. And pretty much the same for any cable company.

You should have asked that operator for the installers cell phone number, "so I can reach him if I have to leave for a quick errand or something" -- then you can contact him directly when needed.

With cellphones, I have become much less tolerant of such non-communication from service people. It's now quite easy for them to reach you; there is no excuse for not doing so. I've dealt with local repair people who are quite good about calling when they set out for my house, and calling in advance to let me know they are detained at a previous call and will be late. I'm much more willing to accept them being late, if they've kept me informed about it.

I called and talked to a nice lady who was very apologetic. She said that the tech had checked in with dispatch at 2:45 and said he was still held up at the first job. She made a note of him being late, and said he would call me within a half hour, and that if I didn't hear from him by 4:30, to call back. At 4:05 my wife informed me that they were here. It turns out that they called another tech who was north of where I live at 3:15, and so he had to scramble to finish the job and get here as close to 4:00 as possible. He was cool and helpful, so I'm fairly satisfied right now. They did all right, I guess.

I called and talked to a nice lady who was very apologetic. She said that the tech had checked in with dispatch at 2:45 and said he was still held up at the first job. She made a note of him being late, and said he would call me within a half hour, and that if I didn't hear from him by 4:30, to call back. At 4:05 my wife informed me that they were here. It turns out that they called another tech who was north of where I live at 3:15, and so he had to scramble to finish the job and get here as close to 4:00 as possible. He was cool and helpful, so I'm fairly satisfied right now. They did all right, I guess.

Do you live near Fayetteville? Was the tech a guy in jis mid 40s, nice guy, works pretty fast, polite and friendly? Because I had the opposite today. He was on time, and left my house for Cedar Creek I think he said arpund that 245/300 in the afternoon.

When I was getting my HD set up, the tech was calling an hour before the appointment time. Unfortunately, it was my home phone, and I was at work. But he kept on calling, and he ended up getting it installed before he was even supposed to come!

Some people have nothing but problems with Sasktel, but I've always had good experiences.